All good points. But, the approach of the Oline has changed as well. Wells, Dahl, Long have all been straight ahead power run blockers….the Rams allowing them to do THAT instead of stretch play stuff has lead as much to the running success as the RB I think. I would like to see Smith replace Williams for the balance of the season (or until Dahl comes back) at LG. Two G that can pull well would be fun to match with a C that playing well in the running game as well. Stacy is a great match for the what the line is doing. See the hole, hit it and get yards after contact….a find of a RB for sure, very exciting.
Jake Long would seem to be more effective when the offense runs the ball on a more consistent basis.
Long's game @ this point in his career is greatly improved when he is not asked to constantly set up in pass protection.
As fur
Joe Barksdale @ ROT...his game as strange as it may seem is the opposite of Jake's...Joe likes to pass block??? He has those extra long arms on a 6-4 frame that measure over 36 inches long that sure make it so easy for him to just use them and direct his man the long way right of the center of the pocket. Joe has big problems with speeders ..blitzing LB'ers & DBs are still giving him issues. Joe needs to get better at completing his run blocks with sometimes is short in duration & mild in his approach to put it best. I am not as in love with Joe as most of the ROD'mers like you & other professional sports pages & rating pages ... as we have discussed but I it is his first season basically as a starter so I believe he will get better.
Joe's assigned partner is
Harvey Dahl, who may be showing some age now...never a gifted or talented run blocker or pass blocker but a sure true grit good around type (mean guy)..
PASSION is his game! Got to love him:sly:. I have to take a look strongly now @ my Favorite Ram OL'er ..... the 33 yr old Harvey has had two bad injuries in back to back seasons now...missing games is this something to look further into?? Nothing too serious a bicep tear that IR'd him in game 13 last season missing most of 3 games when we were in the playoff hunt but with his absence came up short & now currently a MCL injury... and missing more games with this knee ... I am guessing here but most likely third grade sprain of some type. As we know age & injuries do mount up & as with normal NFL players cause a degrading in on field performance. Harvey has had a serious Ankle/Achilles injury back in 2009 that placed him on IR too. Harvey is the starting ORG this post is usually the most powerful and run grader type of all NFL OL positions....Harvey @ 6-6 306 pounds does not fulfill that need on a teams desiring to run the ball in a tough manner. Harvey is basically a pure OT tackle body frame playing OG post. A plus for Harvey is he is a decent emergency back up right OT good to have around once Saffold departs.
Harvey will cost 8 million against the cap 2013/2014 this situation IMO bares watching in the off season. Remember it was Boudreau who move a unknown ex UDFA 9er Right Tackle then a Falcon into the starting ORG post in 2008. IMO Harvey would make us a good reserve right side OL'er in 2014/2015...I would have to cut Harvey save the 4 mil and resign him to a two season contract @ cap hit around 3 mil for those two seasons. Rams would have a vet plug in type Ol'er who has NFL game starting experience to plug in @ ORT & ORG until your rookie OT/OG's are warmed up & ready.
The ongoing rotation of
Chris Williams UFA &
Shelley Smith RFA @ OLG indicates that neither have separated themselves from the other. Boudreau may be making sure he is ready to move on from Chris & find a new starter in 2014. Smith IMO is the better puller & run blocker by far & that's where we seem to be going so Shelley is who I would start.
Scott Wells is on a roll his run blocking is so so fearsomefour but he is effective now healthy.
In conclusion it looks like the OL will have to go under some refurbishing, reconstruction & remodeling in 2014 in order to run the ball more effectively.
